


Adventure Prep

by ilikesaladforks



Series: Scream Guild Shenanigans [1]
Category: Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, Etrian Odyssey Series
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Original Character(s), Prologue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29482341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilikesaladforks/pseuds/ilikesaladforks
Summary: Amidst the hustle and bustle of Tharsis, a fortress hellbent on getting her taste of exploring drags her medic friend out to form a guild.
Series: Scream Guild Shenanigans [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2165538
Kudos: 3





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there this is my first fic on ao3, and also not the first fic i have written so far. I have a lot of these stories that i wrote about my eo4 crew that i never really published because i thought there would be no interest, but i'm just gonna put this out and hope for the best  
> i appreciate any and all feedback!

‘Yul.’

Ness looked down at the scruffy, surprisingly fully grown man in bed. Her arms were crossed and she looked on at the peeking eye under the sheets indignantly.

‘Ness.’ The bleary eyed man blinks once. ‘No.’

‘You’ve been in here for actual weeks!’ Ness begins to screech. ‘Why can’t you just bask in the sun for maybe 30 minutes and then come back and sulk?!’ She tugs on his arm but he was a deadweight.

‘Bitch, there ain’t been any rain in weeks, I’m gonna get baked-‘ But it was too late, Ness had exerted her full strength and swung Yulwich out of his bed and over her shoulder like a rag doll.

‘You always say that!’ Ness exclaims as she effortless glides across the stairs to the door. ‘At this rate you’re never gonna leave your room. Anyway, we could go take a look at some of the explorer facilities the Count approved recently.’

‘Huh? The what now?’

‘It’s been going on for months by now. Remember when the Count announced the explorer challenge? Reach Yggdrasil? They have been going through some snazzy developments down at the square lately. Wynne has been busy keeping up with potion and equipment orders and Ciaran and his crew are building new airships left and right.’

Yul scoffs at this. ‘Ah told ya I ain’t interested.’ He looks away at the shrinking upside down town square.

‘Didn’t say anything about cajoling you into joining anything now, did I? I haven’t had any luck in finding guilds so far anyway.’ Ness throws her head back and sighs, oblivious to the curious onlookers on the street who recognized the duo. ‘Most of them already had fortresses, or medics, or say that they don’t need a defence-oriented member.’ She puffs her cheeks. ‘Bullshit, I say! But yeah, that’s an issue. Also some of them have a weird fixation on money and fame and I’m not up for that. Oh, we’re here.’ Ness comments aloud upon their arrival at the Explorer Headquarters. Yul opens his mouth to say something but a skimpily dressed dancer approaches the two and interrupts their conversation.

‘Oh! A fortress and a medic? Do you guys wanna join forces with me?’ A guy? He sure doesn’t look like one, Yul thinks as Ness finally puts him down. But wait, he looked familiar-

‘I’m trying to form a guild so that I can go out for adventures but I haven’t had any-‘

‘Yes!’ It was the boy’s turn to be interrupted, this time with a scream from Ness. ‘Yes! Yes! Yes! Please!’ Yul thanked the gods that he wasn’t in her arms at this time, as she was now flailing about wildly like an untamed bull.

‘One down, three to go.’ The boy happily quips. He directs his attention to Yul instead. ‘What about you? Are you in?’


	2. The Power of Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You need at least 5 people to form a guild, but it takes so much time to find the right members. The fortress agreed to join almost immediately, but the medic friend of hers refused. There's one living, breathing chad (read: looks deader than a corpse and looks like he just got out of bed) of a potential recruit right in front of you who would be the perfect medic, but needs to be pushed more. What would you do? Life is pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of making up all of these chapter titles as I go along
> 
> A very big thank you to everyone who has read and left kudos!!!! I really appreciate it

Yulwich stares at the space between him and the boy. He was nearly stock still, save for a few blinks as he continued to ponder over the question. Ness had also noticed this uncharacteristic long pause which he exhibited and now it was a staring match between Yul, Ness and the boy.

‘Yeh’re just a kid, aren’cha?’ He finally says.

‘Excuse me?’ The boy looked dumbfounded. Ness’s jaw dropped. What was he thinking?!

‘Yeh’re dat kid dat’s always in Kirtida’s place. Chattin’ up everyone with a face.’ He nonchalantly clarifies as if he was talking about the weather.

‘Uh, you’re not wrong but-‘

‘Maybe yeh should go home, kid.’ He raises his right hand from his hip and waves it in a shooing motion.

‘I’m 20, you old fart!’ The boy yells at him indignantly. His expression abruptly switches to shock, as if finally aware of how badly the topic at hand got derailed. With a soft cough, he looks up at the scruffy man. ‘Aren’t you a medic? Or at least you look like you've got a doctor's coat on. Any team in the forests would need some on-the-go healing so why not join us since you’re already here?’

‘Nah, I just came here to accompany a friend, just 'cuz she,’ Yul shoots a glare at Ness who swiftly looks away, ‘insisted I needed fresh air.’

‘Okay you can say that, but why not at least accompany us for the trial mission? It’s an easy one, just grab some ore from the Old Forest Mine. If the shit we do in there is not up to your lazy fancy, then you can leave, by all means.’ He quickly cooks up a deal that hopefully sounded reasonable enough. Please please pleaseeeeee just take the bait, old man, he begged in his head.

‘Ho? A reasonable argument. Fine then.’ Yul folds his arms and smirks at the shorter boy. Ness whips her head in Yul's direction with literal stars in her eyes after witnessing the scene that unfolded before her.

‘I… I can’t believe it!’ Ness, with a trembling left hand up to her cheek, points her right index finger at his face. ‘You actually agreed to a day of exercise!’ She was nearly screaming her lungs out at this point, and Yul was growling at her to shut up. She ignores him and turns back to the boy to shake his hand vigorously. ‘I’m so, so, sorry! I didn’t catch your name earlier! My name is Nessarose, but just Ness would do. This lanky guy is Yulwich – or Yul for short. He’s the medic and I’m the fortress, a perfect defensive tag team!’

‘Yo, and I’m a dancer!’ The boy, whose name is apparently Yo, draws his sword from its sheath with his other hand and twirls it about effortlessly in a brief display of skill, never letting go of Ness's hand the entire time. ‘Thanks for agreeing to join me! Now we just need two more people. I hope they will be as easy to recruit as you guys. For some reason it’s a bit tough to find people who just want to explore some forests for the thrill of the adventure,’ Yo laments out loud, ‘and that’s no fun!’

‘We gotta keep looking for a bit longer, I guess. Hopefully we will be done by sunset!’ Ness replies reassuringly with a clap of her hands.


	3. Let's Go?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When life gives you lemons, sometimes they might give you a bit too much for you to handle.

‘Ughh! How is it possible that everyone we met today are all dicks!? Why is this so hard! And we haven’t even gotten anywhere yet!’ Yo groans as he drapes himself over the bar counter at the Dancing Peacock. Kirtida giggles softly from the other side as she attends to another customer while Ness and Yul sip their drinks, groaning after half a day of no progress.

‘Maybe we just need to wait for a little longer. Everyday there’s always new travelers coming to Tharsis seeking adventure, so we might have better luck tomorrow.’ Ness attempts to soothe him.  
Meanwhile, Yul chugs his beer down. After he finally gulps down his drink, he turns to the younger man.

‘I gotta ask.’ Yul begins as he puts down his empty glass. ‘Since there’s yeh, me and Ness, who would yeh want next? Just so ya know, Ness and I focus all our energies on defence and healing, so if push comes to shove, all we can do is ensure no one dies out there. So I think we will need to get some fellows who can kill shit.’

‘Yeah…’ Ness softly voices her affirmation.

The dancer ponders over Yul’s question for a moment.

‘Just two attackers. Elemental damage, and then anyone else for the other. Preferably a landsknecht or runemaster is a must. The other, well, let’s see how it goes.’ He waves off the concern casually.

‘Huh, yeh thought this over.’ Yul wonders out loud.

‘Yeah, I mean, I actually joined and left two different guilds before, so I kinda know what’s needed in the battlefield when monsters pop up. I also know the terrain somewhat. It’s a shame that the initiation test is done on a guild-by-guild basis, I don’t really wanna go collect ore for the third time in two months.’ He sighs and gulps down his wine before continuing.

‘It’s already pretty late, so I think we should just meet up again tomorrow and hopefully find the remaining two members. Same place, 8am. Ciao!’ With the quick farewell, Yo sweeps up his empty wineglass and heads over to the counter where Kirtida was drying some glasses.

The walk back to their home was heavy with silence. The medic knew why, but knew not to probe too much.

‘Yeh’re really fine?’ He drops the question hanging on his lips at last.

‘Hmm? Why do you ask? I should be the one asking you that.’ Ness, though confused, laughs at the awkward man’s question.

‘I’ve seen yer training over the years, and I know yeh’re originally not from around these parts. Don’t forget, I’m the one who had to patch yeh up after yeh dropped by in a bloody mess.’ He stops in front of the door.

‘I know you are excited for the adventure, but if you’re afraid, you can back out anytime. You don't have to sign up for another round of trauma. And I’m here.’

Startled at the sudden change of subject, Ness, who was trying to retrieve the house key, freezes. He watches as a whirlwind of emotions flash across her eyes. Despair, grief, fear, determination, and resolve. Finally, she looks up to him with a gentle smile.

‘I… honestly am not sure. I always felt like my calling in life was to be a protector for my trusted comrades. I took a long break from that goal and I thought it would be a good time to try again. I can never forget the thrill of adventure. I don’t think my dream has to perish as well, and that’s why I want to join a team as soon as I can. Thank you for your concern, Yul. I’m not backing out this time.’

‘If that’s what you think, then I won’t stop you. If shit goes downhill in the initiation mission though, get ready to find a new medic.’ He nonchalantly adds as he swipes the key from her hand and unlocks the door himself. Shocked by how he killed the mood, Ness stood frozen for a solid minute before realizing that he had already entered the house and left her out in the cold.

‘Aw come on, Yul! It’s gonna be fun!’ She yells as she dashes into the living room. The smile on her lips grew and she couldn't help but let out a giggle as her joy bubbled up within her heart.


End file.
